Begin With Praise

Note:  I will be away and not have access to internet until Sunday...A Happy New Year to ALL!


On this last day of the year 2014, we might take time to look back, and be moved to gratitude for the many blessings that will pop up in our reverie.  Surely, God has been good, no matter what might have seemed like a "disaster."  With his help we have survived trials, stress, and benefited from our mistakes.  God's mercy was evident, and without it, we would have been depressed, discouraged, and to a degree, "lost".  In the end, we found that everything turned out all right.  I cannot thank God enough for the people, events and surprises beyond my wildest imagination that took place in 2014, and  even yesterday itself.
We might, then, look ahead to 2015 and begin the year in the spirit of healthy and full praise, a prayer that recognizes the sovereignty, power, and absolute Goodness of our Creator, who is LOVE. In such a prayer,  we praise God for being God, not for any of his endless favors; we glorify him now, today,  as much as we can, as a preview of how we will be totally absorbed in glorifying him when we see him face to face in his full glory.  Such a prayer will take us out of ourselves while at the same time preparing ourselves to receive the invitations, graces, and blessings that we will be reflecting on a year from now.  In the Gloria at Mass we pray, "we praise you, we glorify you."  Let that be our mantra for today, a good way to end this year and begin the next!
Bro. Rene